Automobile side curtain



Nov.24,1925- 1.563.288-

A. H. PAPE AUTOMOBILE SIDE CURTAIN iI d -Y 17, 1 Q ZSheets-Sheet 1 I'VE A. H. PAPE AUTOMOBILE SIDE CURTAIN Nov. 24, 1925- Filed May 1 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

; AUGUST H. IPAPE, 0F KENTFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE SIDE CURTAIN.

Application filed May 17; 1921. Serial No. 470,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST H. PAPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kentfield, in the county of Marin and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile Side Curtains, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in automobile top and body construction and has special reference to certain improvements in side curtains, by the use of which, a touring car may be quickly and easily converted into a closed car.

The primary object of the invention is to provide side curtain construction, which, by reason of its arrangement, mounting and means of operation will be superior to the ordinary side curtains in point of simplicity, cheapness of construction, ease and facility of attachment, ease of operation, neatness of appearance and the provision for an easy assembling and disassembling of the curtain whereby repair and renewal of parts thereof will be facilitated.

Another object is to provide side curtain construction of the character described which may be installed without necessitating any material change in the construction of the automobile top and body and which will not be subject to being blown out of place or otherwise deranged by the wind.

Another object is to provide side curtains of the character described which will be flexible and attached to the top so as to roll or move into concealed position at a point beneath the top and when unrolled and extended will close the sides of the automobile, there being novel means for guiding the curtains into closed and concealed position which means will prevent bulging or blowing out of the curtains when extended.

A further object is to provide novel means for slidably securing the side edges of the curtains to guide means supported by the top, said securing means serving to rigidly and firmly hold the edges inplace whereby the curtains will be taut and not likely to bulge or become deranged.

Afurther object is to provide side curtains of the character described which will be made in two parts detachably secured together, whereby the part not exposed, whenthe curtain is extended, may be of cheaper quality and the assembling and disassembling of the curtain may be more easily and readily effected.

The invention possesses other advantages and features some of which, with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration inthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of the pres ent specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of the construction of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form since the invention as expressed in the claim may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a'fragmentary side elevation of an automobile showing the side curtains in closed position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the top showing one curtain in closed or down position, the other curtain being removed.

Figure 3 is a broken horizontal sectional View of the upright guide members which extend between the body and top on the sides of the body. I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a part of the top showing the curtain extended or drawn down.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a curtain showing the manner of slidably connecting "the side edges thereof with the uide members. Figure? is a fragmentary side elevation shown partly in section, of a curtain and means for slidably securing the same to the guides. v

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a guide member and slide member therein.

Figure 9 is a crosssection of a part of the top showing a modified form of curtain in down position.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9 showing one curtain raised and the other lowered.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the modified form of curtain shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary end or edge elevation of the form of curtains shown in Fig. 11.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, there is provided on each side of the autoup or concealed position -under-'-tl'1e-top and may be independently operated. To provide for this the curtains slide between two closely arranged but spaced sheets. 3 andA of thin metal or other suitable material there being ,a pair .ofsuch sheets on: each side-of the longitudinal: center member '1 of the.

These sheets. extend from. the forep art of thetopto 2a pointat which .thefixed sideportions (i-of top commence, on each side of the top and theiiflv longitudinal edges-are disposed. in linewith the longitudinal center line and-lower edge of the \overhangportion. Tofthe top respectively, w-hereby a pocket or compartment large enough. to receive the two .-curtains: is provided- The sheet-s 3 and i are securedinany suitabloLmanner-to the. bows 8 and member-175.01 other partsrofuthe top frame andilie close-to the under side 'of the topand Virtually-serve as adouble lining for the greater portion of-theunder side of the top follow ing the-curve ;of the top: as regards the-overhang portions -7. Spacer strips 7 are 1 mounted a between. the a sheets 3 and 4.

Guide means with whichi'thesideedges of thehcurtainsaare .slidably engaged is provided.,on.each sideeof the automobile and comprises three post or uprightnbars 9,10 and 11 extending from. the 1 upperedgeof the body. 12 tothe outer edges .of thesheets 3 and 4. Mounted on. the opposed-edges of: these :posts are rtubular guide members 13 each of which has a verticah slotuornopening lt arranged soe-thatj-the slots.-are'opposite one another; and registeivwithi the space between the-sheets Sand 4:. Theposts and tubes are mortisedetogether-as at The curtains 2. eachcomprise a relatively heavy but flexible rectangular frame 16 formed ofsome suitable-fabric and which supports a celluloid or other flexible 'and transparentcurtain light '17; At :the Tupper and lower: ends of the :curtain and, attached to the frame portion 16-areiwooden or metalliestrips 18. Secured to: the sides .of the curtains; are relatively i thin flexible leather strips 19 having a series ofwspaeed perforations or openings QO therein. These strips are-adapted toextend thru the. slots-14 into the tubes 13 and are attached toslide members 21. The slide members :21 are each in the form; of a helical. \VlI'BCOllwXVlthwtllB convolutions 22 extending thru the openings or perfo'rationsQO. The slidemembers 21 are of greater diameter-thaw the w-idth=.-of the slots or openings 14 and provide-for holding theistrips 19, at .the edges-of the curtains, securely within the :,l3llb(-)S: l3. To lend rigidity to the slide members. :stra-ight wire rods 23 are inserted thru the coils of sheets the sheets 3 and 4 the lower end thereof is fiexed'byreason of the curvature of the 3and .4 along their outer edges, as shown in Fig. 8.' By this flexing the rods 23 are securely held against falling. out of themembers .21. The slide members -21 are capable'of being moved freely up and down betweenthe guide-z-members and between the sheets 3 and-4. It is not necessaryto provideguide railssor members to engage the sides .of :the curtains.- when, the latter are in up (position sincev the lower "portions of the curtains. will extend ,intothe guide members 13 and =this twill prevent. "any tendency .of the curtain to shift or move laterally. The. frictional engagement: between. the .slide. members 21 and-.5. parts .of the structure in whichtheycomein contact are such that the curtains will (be heldaagainst :dropping into closed position due toi vibration of the automobile By graspinggthe tab 24 pro-. vided on the lower edges of the curtains, the latter maybe raisedand-lowered as desired. The tabis preferably provided. with an opening; soasrto receive the pin 25 on the upper edgeofthe car body, whereby the windows may be rfastened-in-down position.

Referring to therframeof the-invention shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11-andC12,-the top 27 of the automobile is provided :on opposite sides-With curtains 28-similar,to the curtains -2 but adapted to, be rolled into concealed. position! withinthe top instead of being moved bodily, intoside position. Uponweachr side. in a longitudinal center line 20f theetop upon the under .side thereof is --mounted aspring, roIler Q-S); similar to the ordinary window: shade when This roller is-supportedcby bracket-s30 dependingtfrom i the 1 bows .of ,the top and the ourtain- 28- is attached thereto. Preferably there are two-rollerson ieachaside the car and arranged in spaced relation to one:another: In this formof the invention'it is not I necessary to employ guide means be yond the vertical guide portions at the sides of theetopz The. curtains-28 each comprise heavy ifiXlbl6 fabric framel32 supporting a celluloid curtain light. .33. Attached to the side edges ofithefr'amei32 are strips 341 corresponding to the strips'19fi lnqthis connection it willbe noted that .theslidemembers,- 1 as :described in the preferred form of the invention, will be usedin connection with thecurtainof this form;- Detachably secured 'to the upper edge. of the-curtain frame-32 is a-length of heavy ;cloth35 which is attached to the roller =29.- This :cloth; will extend in close proximity to the under side of the curtain and when rolled upon the 1 roller 29 will bring the upper edge of the curtain proper along the upper side of the roller as shown in Fig. 11, the lower edge of said curtain being raised to a point substantially flush to the overhanging portion of the top 27. The meeting edges of the curtain proper and cloth strip 35 are provided with eyelets 36 thru which lacing 37 is inserted so as to detachably secure said parts together. When it is desired to repair or renew either of the parts of the curtain, the disassembling or reassembling may be readily and easily accomplished, by reason of this detachable connection. In this form of the invention, tubular guide members 38 are employed as are the similar members in the preferred form and these guide members Will extend upwardly to a point beyond the lower edges of the overlying portions of the top, being curved as at 39 at their upper end so as to follow the curve of the overhanging. lVhen the curtain is pulled down the cloth strip 35 will be extended, as shown in Fig. 9, and when the curtain is raised this strip will be completely concealed upon the roller 29 and the curtain proper will lie close against but exposed beneath the upper part of the top 27, the lower portion of the curtain proper being engaged in the upper curved portions 39 of the guide members 28.

I claim:

The combination with a top and body of an automobile, a flexible side curtain, guide tubes associated with the top and body and having longitudinal slots therein of less width than the inside diameter of the tubes, said tubes being curved upwardly and-inwardly at their upper ends to follow the usual curvature of the top, flexible strips secured to and extending along opposite edges of the curtain and slidably mounted within said slots, said strips having spaced perforations therein, helically coiled flexible members slidable in the tubes and having convolutions thereof extended thru the perforations, and a plurality of rods mounted in the tubes which rods extend freely through said coiled flexible members and are curved to correspond to the curve of said tubes.

AUGUST H. PAPE. 

